Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am the daughter of Italian immigrants and grew up in North Central West Virginia with a love of reading and a passion for learning. Following a career path that included being a teacher, journalist, and marketer, I have lived as far away from home as Italy where I practiced my family’s native tongue as well as took advantage of living near other European countries to travel extensively. A rabid Pittsburgh Steeler fan, I live with my husband, an equally committed New York Giants fan, in suburban Denver where off-football-season dinner conversation is calmer and is usually accompanied by a meal I cook from one of my mother’s treasured recipes. Other interests include New York Times crossword puzzles, good movies, and travel. I volunteer extensively for my parish and write for its publications. I also teach part-time for the St. Catherine of Siena Institute. I just released my debut novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just released “Love on the Back Burner: A Tasty Romantic Comedy”. I wanted a way to share my family recipes, but thought this was a more fun way to do it than to compile a traditional cookbook.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Most writers are rather quirky, i suppose, but I think my most unusual habit is to create entire backstories for my characters before I start to write a word about them.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Even though my debut novel is a romantic comedy, I’ve been influenced by the greatest of all time because I have been reading them since I was old enough to read. Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Austen, O’Conner and so many others are on my shelves. By the same token, I so appreciate modern writers: Khaled Hosseini, Cormac McCarthy, Kathryn Stockett, etc. In my own comedic genre, I think Jane Heller, Susan Isaacs, and Marian Keyes are big influences.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the sequel (to be titled) to this “Love on the Back Burner”, as well as a YA novel and another comedic novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know yet! I feel that that contacting bloggers is best because readers look to the blogs for new reads.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
The best advice I have ever received is two-fold: 1) READ, READ, READ. Read everything you can get your hands on, because the best writers are readers. 2) WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. There is no such thing as a “muse”. You need to treat your writing as a job and discipline yourself to write every day, even if it is only a 100 words.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See above.
What are you reading now?
“Christianity and Democracy” by Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I split my time between marketing my debut novel and working on the sequel. I also continue writing articles for the bi-monthly newsmagazine at my parish.
What is your favorite book of all time?
How can anyone answer this question??? It’s like asking who is a favorite child! I have favorites in all genres. I’ll go all the way back to “Heidi” because it was the first “big girl” book I read — but I have so many other favorites that I like to read depending on whether I want to laugh or cry or feel good about how an author uses language.
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